New lifesaver in Westfield

Brian Rockell, Community Team Leader 1066 Community First Responders and Lead Governor for SECAmb , and Lauren Samuels of The Park Lane Group. SUS-150521-114734001

Published:07:00Sunday 31 May 2015

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The community of Westfield has benefitted from the installation of a lifesaving Public Access Defibrillator (PAD)

The defibrillator is designed for use in the event of Cardiac Arrest and has been installed with the support of The Park Lane Group.

Sited on the exterior of the Londis store, Main Road, Westfield, the PAD can be easily accessed in the event of an emergency.

Nigel Hammond of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) extended thanks to The Park Lane Group for their support in obtaining and installing this important piece of medical equipment and says the PAD in this location is for everyone’s benefit. “We’re aiming to achieve more coverage in rural areas, typically those where medical treatment is more than 5-8 minutes away, he said. “Whilst Westfield is relatively close to The Conquest Hospital we have been working extensively with the local primary school over the last few years to educate Year 6 pupils about what to do in an emergency.

“The siting of this latest defibrillator further supports this work and we hope proves reassuring for residents in the area.”

Following its installation, the PAD now falls under the remit of the Community First Responders (CFR) team who will manage periodic checks on the unit to ensure it remains in working order.

CFR’s are volunteer members of the community trained to respond to emergency calls in conjunction with the SECAmb. Living and working locally CFR’s are well placed to attend an emergency quickly.

Mr Hammond explained how the PAD works. “When a Cardiac Arrest 999 call is received in the ambulance control room the operator will be aware of the nearest PAD site. If the PAD is close enough to the location of the patient they will ask someone to go to the PAD box and return to the patient with the defibrillator. The relative or bystander will then be given instructions over the phone on how to turn the machine on and apply the defibrillator pads.”

In the UK approximately 30,000 people suffer a Cardiac Arrest outside hospital and are treated by emergency medical services every year. A patient’s chance of survival decreases by around 10 per cent per minute following a Cardiac Arrest and it is vital that emergency treatment begins as soon as possible.